NHL playoffs latest bracket, standings, games today and who can clinch
NHL playoffs latest bracket, standings, games today and who can clinch
Mike Brehm, USA TODAY Thu, April 2, 2026 at 6:11 PM UTC
0
NHL playoffs latest bracket, standings, games today and who can clinch
An NHL rarity could happen on Thursday, April 2: The Buffalo Sabres could clinch a playoff berth and end a league-record 14-year postseason drought.
All the Sabres need to do is beat the Ottawa Senators and they’re in the playoffs for the first time since 2010-11, although there are other ways to clinch.
Buffalo was in last place in the Eastern Conference on Dec. 9 before winning two in a row to get back to .500.
They then fired general manager Kevyn Adams on Dec. 15 and promoted Jarmo Kekalainen to the position.
The team took off, extending their winning streak to 10 games. They have gone 32-7-4 under the former Columbus Blue Jackets GM heading into Thursday’s game.
The Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning and Minnesota Wild also are in position to clinch on Thursday. In the late game, the Nashville Predators visit the Los Angeles Kings, who passed them on Wednesday and moved into the second wild-card spot in the West.
Here's what to know about the NHL standings, including the latest playoff bracket, who can clinch today and the tiebreaker procedures for the 2025-26 season:
1 / 0NHL physicality: Players fight, deliver big hits
Feb. 28: Referee Cody Beach stops the fight between the Washington Capitals' Connor McMichael and Montreal Canadiens' Kaiden Guhle (21) during the third period at the Bell Centre.
Who's in the 2026 NHL playoffs?
Eastern Conference: None
Western Conference: Colorado, Dallas
Who can clinch today? -
The Buffalo Sabres will clinch a playoff berth if they beat the Ottawa Senators. They'd also clinch if they get one point and the Red Wings and Blue Jackets lose.
The Carolina Hurricanes will clinch if they beat the Blue Jackets. They'd also clinch if they get one point and the Red Wings lose, plus the Senators lose in regulation.
The Tampa Bay Lightning will clinch if they beat the Penguins in regulation and all of the following occur: the Senators lose and the Red Wings and Blue Jackets lose in regulation. They would also clinch if they beat the Penguins in overtime or a shootout and the Red Wings, Blue Jackets and Senators lose in regulation.
The Minnesota Wild will clinch if they get at least one point against the Canucks. They would also clinch if they get one point and 1) the Sharks lose and the Oilers and Golden Knights lose in regulation or 2) the Sharks lose in regulation or 3) the Kings fail to win in regulation.
NHL games today (Thursday, April 2)
All times p.m. Eastern
Buffalo at Ottawa, 7
Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay, 7
Boston at Florida, 7
Montreal at N.Y. Rangers, 7
Detroit at Philadelphia, 7
Columbus at Carolina, 7
Washington at New Jersey, 7:30
Winnipeg at Dallas, 8
Vancouver at Minnesota, 8
Chicago at Edmonton, 9
Calgary at Vegas, 10
Toronto at San Jose, 10
Utah at Seattle, 10
Nashville at Los Angeles, 10:30
NHL Eastern Conference standings 2025-26
After April 1 games. x-clinched playoff spot. z-eliminated
Metropolitan Division
Carolina Hurricanes (100)
Pittsburgh Penguins (92)
New York Islanders (89)
Atlantic Division
Advertisement
Buffalo Sabres (100)
Tampa Bay Lightning (98)
Montreal Canadiens (96)
Wild card
Boston Bruins (94)
Columbus Blue Jackets (88)
Sitting out of playoff position: Ottawa Senators (86), Detroit Red Wings (86), Philadelphia Flyers (86), Washington Capitals (85), New Jersey Devils (78), Toronto Maple Leafs (77), Florida Panthers (75), z-New York Rangers (71)
NHL Western Conference standings 2025-26
After April 1 games. x-clinched playoff spot. z-eliminated
Central Division
x-Colorado Avalanche (108)
x-Dallas Stars (100)
Minnesota Wild (94)
Pacific Division
Anaheim Ducks (87)
Edmonton Oilers (85)
Vegas Golden Knights (82)
Wild card
Utah Mammoth (82)
Los Angeles Kings (78)
Sitting out of playoff position: San Jose Sharks (77), Nashville Predators (77), Winnipeg Jets (76), Seattle Kraken (75), St. Louis Blues (74), Calgary Flames (70), Chicago Blackhawks (68), z-Vancouver Canucks (52)
NHL Eastern Conference playoff bracket
Here is how the Eastern Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on April 1:
Carolina (M1) vs. Columbus (WC2)
Pittsburgh (M2) vs. N.Y. Islanders (M3)
Buffalo (A1) vs. Boston (WC1)
Tampa Bay (A2) vs. Montreal (A3)
The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: M - Metropolitan Division. A - Atlantic Division. WC - wild card
NHL Western Conference playoff bracket
Here is how the Western Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on March 31.
Colorado (C1) vs. Los Angeles (WC2)
Dallas (C2) vs. Minnesota (C3)
Anaheim (P1) vs. Utah (WC1)
Edmonton (P2) vs. Vegas (P3)
The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: C - Central Division P - Pacific Division. WC - wild card
More: Vegas Golden Knights fire coach Bruce Cassidy, hire John Tortorella
NHL tiebreakers: What is the first tiebreaker in NHL standings?
If two teams are tied in points at the end of the regular season, here are the tiebreakers:
Regulation wins
Regulation and overtime wins (ROW)
Total wins
Most points earned in head-to-head competition: If teams had an uneven number of meetings, the first game played in the city that has the extra game is excluded.
Goal differential
Total goals
When does the NHL regular season end?
The NHL regular season is scheduled to end on Thursday, April 16, with six games.
When do the NHL playoffs start?
The NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs are scheduled to begin on April 18.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL playoff bracket, latest standings and clinching scenarios
Source: “AOL Sports”
